Press Releases
Van Hollen Statement on the Passing of Mike Miller
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the passing of Maryland Senate President Emeritus Mike Miller:“Maryland has lost a giant, and I have lost a dear friend. Governors have come and gone, but Mike Miller was a historic figure and force of nature, always pushing our state forward. His legacy of results for Marylanders is unmatched. Katherine and I send our love to Patty and his … Continue Reading
January 15, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Call for FEMA Cost-Sharing Waiver To Help States Combat COVID-19
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) joined more than 30 of their colleagues in urging the incoming Biden Administration to take immediate action upon assuming office to grant pending requests to waive the 25% non-federal cost-share requirement for FEMA assistance related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. To date, the Trump Administration has declined to allow the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to waive the full amount of cost-sharing requirements … Continue Reading
January 14, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on New Biden COVID-19 Plan
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding President-elect Joe Biden’s new COVID-19 plan:“The American Rescue Plan is a historic relief package to accelerate the pace of vaccinations, contain the virus, deliver immediate help to those hardest hit, and support struggling small businesses and communities. This plan is a good sign of what’s to come with the Biden Administration and exactly what we need after the Trump Administration’s failure to combat … Continue Reading
January 14, 2021
Van Hollen, Shaheen, Bipartisan Group of Senators Call on Pompeo to Detail How Administration Will Respond to Findings of Havana Syndrome Report
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) wrote a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier this week in response to the findings of a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report that was recently released on brain injuries experience by public servants working abroad, calling on the State Department to provide additional information on the Department’s assessment of causation of these attacks and how the administration plans to prevent such attacks in the … Continue Reading
January 14, 2021
Van Hollen, Wyden, Baldwin Discuss Immediate Need to Address Long-term Unemployment with Biden Nominee Dr. Cecilia Rouse
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) have released the following statement regarding their virtual meeting yesterday with Dr. Cecilia Rouse, President-elect Biden’s nominee to serve as the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors: “Right now, our country is facing a joblessness crisis of historic proportions. In October, we saw the single highest monthly increase in long-term unemployment on record. Long-term unemployment plagued our economy … Continue Reading
January 13, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on House Impeachment
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the House of Representatives’ Impeachment of President Donald Trump:“President Trump has threatened the safety and security of our democracy. He has shown contempt for our Constitution and violated his duty to protect the American people and our republic. As this Article of Impeachment states, he has ‘engaged in high Crimes and Misdemeanors by inciting violence against the Government of the United States.’ … Continue Reading
January 12, 2021
Maryland Delegation Members Announce More Than $400 Million to Expand Statewide COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, Contact Tracing, and Testing Capacity
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie Raskin, and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced that the Maryland Department of Health will receive $402,607,440 in federal funding to expand COVID-19 vaccine distribution, contact tracing, and testing capacity.“Support is on the way for Maryland as we continue to fight COVID-19 and work to eliminate the virus,” the lawmakers said. “This … Continue Reading
January 12, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Trone Announce $1.5 Million in FEMA Funding to the City of Frederick for Flood Prevention
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone (all D-Md.) announced that the City of Frederick will receive over $1.5 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to strengthen the city’s flood prevention infrastructure.The funding will go towards repairs to Stormwater Pump Station #3, a critical part of Frederick’s storm water management system that diverts water from densely populated areas to a man-made retention lake. The repairs will … Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin, Senate Democrats Demand Trump Administration Immediately Address Significant COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Failures
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) and a group of more than 40 of their colleagues wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar demanding that the Trump Administration take immediate action to fix the significant failures of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution as coronavirus cases continue to climb. In the letter, the Senators call out the Administration’s failure to develop and implement a comprehensive national vaccine plan, despite having months to do … Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Van Hollen, Klobuchar, Leahy, and Colleagues Demand Answers From the State Department About Move to Designate Cuba a State Sponsor of Terrorism
On Friday, January 8, 2021, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Tina Smith (D-MN) sent a letter to Secretary of State Michael Pompeo expressing concern over reports that the Trump Administration’s would designate Cuba a state sponsor of terrorism without formal consultation and review by Congress. The Senators also asked the State Department … Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Van Hollen, Norton Demand Congress Fully Fund D.C. Emergency Planning & Security Fund After D.C. Police Department Helped End Insurrection at U.S. Capitol
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) reiterated their call for Congress to fully fund the District of Columbia emergency planning and security fund (EPSF) in the future, including the $80 million the EPSF was shortchanged in the enacted fiscal year (FY) 2021 D.C. Appropriations bill. During the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week, U.S. Capitol Police requested the assistance of D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and … Continue Reading
January 11, 2021
Van Hollen, Risch, Cardin, Colleagues Applaud Senate Passage of Their Resolution Condemning Violence in Anglophone Cameroon
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar … Continue Reading
January 08, 2021
Van Hollen, Cardin Press Department of Defense on Effort to Remove USU President
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-Md.) sent a letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Defense (DOD) Christopher Miller expressing concern over DOD’s plan to remove Dr. Richard Thomas as President of the Bethesda-based Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). In their letter, the Senators raise questions about the motivations behind DOD’s efforts to remove Dr. Thomas and ask for a review of this decision.“The fact that this action is taking … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
Van Hollen, Norton, Carper Say D.C. Mayor Must Be Given Control Over D.C. National Guard and President Must Be Stripped of Authority Over D.C. Police Department
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) said that Wednesday’s attack on the U.S. Capitol demonstrated once again that local public safety in the District of Columbia (D.C.) is subject to the whim of the President and that it is past time for Congress, pending D.C. statehood, to pass legislation to give the District’s mayor control … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on the Passing of Barbara O’Malley
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on the passing of Barbara O’Malley, mother of former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley: “I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Barbara O’Malley. I will always remember being greeted by Mrs. O’s smile and her cheery hello as I’d come into Senator Mikulski’s office - it never failed to brighten my day. Her warmth and wit will be dearly missed by so many, and her years of dedicated public service to the people … Continue Reading
January 07, 2021
Van Hollen Calls on Trump’s Removal From Office
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement calling for President Trump’s removal from office:“Early this morning, our democracy prevailed. Despite President Trump’s calls for insurrection, his contempt for the Constitution, and his lawless conduct, our institutions and the will of the American people held firm. But every day Trump remains in office presents a grave danger to our … Continue Reading
January 06, 2021
Van Hollen Speaks on Senate Floor Against Dangerous and Unfounded Republican Attempts to Block Electoral College Vote Certification, Mob Violence at U.S. Capitol
Tonight, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) spoke on the Senate floor against Republican lawmakers’ damaging, irresponsible, and unfounded attempts to challenge November’s election results, as certified by the electoral college. During his speech, the Senator refuted the President and these Republicans’ baseless claims of election fraud and underscored the lasting harm these challenges have inflicted upon our democracy and Americans’ trust in our democratic institutions. The Senator pointed … Continue Reading
January 05, 2021
Van Hollen, Mfume, Cardin Laud Signing of Henrietta Lacks Cancer Research Act
Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressman Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) lauded the signing of the Henrietta Lacks Cancer Research Act into law to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks and examine access to government-funded cancer clinical trials for traditionally underrepresented groups. Senators Van Hollen and Cardin initially introduced this legislation alongside the late Congressman Elijah Cummings, and it has since been sponsored by … Continue Reading
January 05, 2021
Van Hollen Statement on Chesapeake Bay Foundation's State of the Bay Report
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding the release of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's 2020 State of the Bay Report: “Protecting the Chesapeake Bay is critical for the health of Maryland’s environment and the success of our Bay economy. Today's State of the Bay Report marks another disappointing D+ rating for the Chesapeake Bay after an extensive evaluation of the Bay's health. While I'm pleased with some areas where we've seen improvements, as I … Continue Reading
January 05, 2021
Van Hollen Rebukes Trump Administration’s Harmful Rollback of Migratory Bird Protections
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement in response to the finalization of the Department of Interior (DOI) rule weakening the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Senator Van Hollen has repeatedly fought the Trump Administration’s DOI on this issue, including in a letter to then-Acting Secretary David Bernhardt and in questioning in an Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee hearing. In July, Senator Van Hollen and EPW Ranking Member Tom Carper led … Continue Reading
